Wednesday, April 30, 2008

Drama At the Bird Feeder

Living in the country is so awesome! The bird feeders are out and we are visited daily by gold finches, cardinals, bluebirds, redwinged blackbirds, hummingbirds, chick-a-dees and the ever-popular sparrows and cowbirds. For me the biggest thrill is capturing these quick little creatures in photos. After scaring away countless feathered friends, I found the best way to take pictures of them is from far away with a really long lens. Sometimes things get a little blurry, but the camera captured the "Drama At the Bird Feeder":
The little sparrow sounds a warning to the approaching cowbird.

The cowbird continues to threaten!
The little sparrow holds his ground -- er perch! Go, little sparrow!

The cowbird takes another attack! Little sparrow hangs on and appears to get in a glancing peck.
Oh, no! Little sparrow is hanging on by one little foot! What's with the big ugly bystander, just feeding his face?
Woo Hoo! Little sparrow is back on his perch! He shrugs his feathers back into place and.....
Oh, no! It's all a blur, but the big, mean cowbird seems to be coming back for another attack!
The little sparrow is ready to defend once again!
What's this? The other cowbird has taken his big, hungry beak out of the bird seed!
Everything is so blurry.... but it appears that the little sparrow isn't the target this time! The feasting cowbird is being chased away!
Alone at last!

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